Bill > S285

This bill, the Valles Caldera National Preserve Management Act, designates the Valles Caldera National Preserve in New Mexico as a unit of the National Park System to protect its natural, scientific, historic, and cultural values. The Secretary of the Interior (referred to as the Secretary) will be responsible for managing the Preserve, including developing a management plan, establishing a science and education program, and undertaking activities to improve forest, grassland, and riparian health. The bill also authorizes the creation of a science and education center outside the Preserve and ensures the protection of traditional cultural and religious sites, allowing for access by Native American tribes for customary uses. Administrative jurisdiction over the Preserve will transfer from the Secretary of Agriculture and the Valles Caldera Trust to the Secretary, with the Santa Fe National Forest's boundaries being adjusted to exclude the Preserve. The Valles Caldera Trust will be terminated, and its assets and liabilities will be transferred to the Secretary. The bill also allows for continued grazing under specific conditions and permits hunting, fishing, and trapping in accordance with federal and state laws, with provisions for administrative exceptions. Finally, the Secretary is required to study the feasibility of a hiking trail along the rim of the Valles Caldera.